Youth Development Directorate begins three-month programme in all 64 districts to develop digital skills and expand employment opportunities
7th Batch of Nationwide Freelancing Training Launched for 4,800 Youth Across Bangladesh
- Government aims to train 36,000 youths by 2027.
- Over 11,000 graduates from previous batches are already earning through freelancing.
- Programme covers digital marketing, graphic design, video editing and other in-demand skills.
The seventh batch of the three-month freelancing training programme under the "Employment Generation through Freelancing Training for Educated Job-Seeking Youth in 64 Districts" project has been officially launched to equip educated young people with market-oriented digital skills and expand employment opportunities.
The programme was inaugurated simultaneously across all 64 districts by State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday (July 1).
The event was chaired by Ministry Secretary Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, while Director General of the Department of Youth Development Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman moderated the programme. District officials, representatives of E-Learning and Earning Ltd., and nearly 5,000 trainees joined the event physically and virtually.
Speaking as the chief guest, the state minister said developing a skilled workforce aligned with the growing digital economy is one of the government's top priorities. He noted that 4,800 young men and women are receiving training in high-demand areas, including computer applications, digital marketing and graphic design.
He said the initiative would promote self-employment, increase foreign currency earnings and contribute significantly to Bangladesh's economy while helping reduce unemployment.
Ministry Secretary Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam said the project's primary objective is to transform educated unemployed youth into skilled professionals capable of securing sustainable employment in both domestic and international markets.
Managing Director of E-Learning and Earning Ltd., Masud Alam, said Bangladeshi freelancers are earning substantial foreign income from global marketplaces each year. He encouraged trainees to share their success stories to inspire more young people to pursue freelancing as a career.
According to project officials, the programme aims to train 36,000 educated youths between January 2024 and December 2027 with a total project cost of BDT 3.7377 billion. Training activities began on January 1, 2025, and are currently being conducted in all 64 districts.
The seventh batch includes 4,800 participants, with 75 trainees from each district. Eligible participants are aged between 18 and 35 years and have completed at least Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) education.
So far, 19,200 trainees have completed training in the first six batches. Around 60% (11,353 trainees) are already working on local and international freelancing marketplaces.
The trainees have collectively earned US$1,999,490 and an additional BDT 99.03 million, bringing their total income to approximately BDT 344.97 million. Mentoring sessions are also being conducted in every district to help participants increase their earnings.
More than 100,000 applications were submitted for the seventh batch. Around 70,000 applicants sat for the written examination before 4,800 candidates were selected through written and viva assessments.
Participants will receive 600 hours of training over three months, covering computer office applications, freelancing, basic English, digital marketing, soft skills, smartphone-based freelancing, graphic design and video editing.
Officials said trainees will receive transportation allowances, meals and all necessary learning materials. Certificates will be awarded upon successful completion, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Department of Youth Development and relevant agencies will regularly monitor the programme to ensure quality.
//DBTech/MS/MI//
The seventh batch of the three-month freelancing training programme under the "Employment Generation through Freelancing Training for Educated Job-Seeking Youth in 64 Districts" project has been officially launched to equip educated young people with market-oriented digital skills and expand employment opportunities.
The programme was inaugurated simultaneously across all 64 districts by State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Wednesday (July 1).
The event was chaired by Ministry Secretary Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, while Director General of the Department of Youth Development Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman moderated the programme. District officials, representatives of E-Learning and Earning Ltd., and nearly 5,000 trainees joined the event physically and virtually.
Speaking as the chief guest, the state minister said developing a skilled workforce aligned with the growing digital economy is one of the government's top priorities. He noted that 4,800 young men and women are receiving training in high-demand areas, including computer applications, digital marketing and graphic design.
He said the initiative would promote self-employment, increase foreign currency earnings and contribute significantly to Bangladesh's economy while helping reduce unemployment.
Ministry Secretary Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam said the project's primary objective is to transform educated unemployed youth into skilled professionals capable of securing sustainable employment in both domestic and international markets.
Managing Director of E-Learning and Earning Ltd., Masud Alam, said Bangladeshi freelancers are earning substantial foreign income from global marketplaces each year. He encouraged trainees to share their success stories to inspire more young people to pursue freelancing as a career.
According to project officials, the programme aims to train 36,000 educated youths between January 2024 and December 2027 with a total project cost of BDT 3.7377 billion. Training activities began on January 1, 2025, and are currently being conducted in all 64 districts.
The seventh batch includes 4,800 participants, with 75 trainees from each district. Eligible participants are aged between 18 and 35 years and have completed at least Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) education.
So far, 19,200 trainees have completed training in the first six batches. Around 60% (11,353 trainees) are already working on local and international freelancing marketplaces.
The trainees have collectively earned US$1,999,490 and an additional BDT 99.03 million, bringing their total income to approximately BDT 344.97 million. Mentoring sessions are also being conducted in every district to help participants increase their earnings.
More than 100,000 applications were submitted for the seventh batch. Around 70,000 applicants sat for the written examination before 4,800 candidates were selected through written and viva assessments.
Participants will receive 600 hours of training over three months, covering computer office applications, freelancing, basic English, digital marketing, soft skills, smartphone-based freelancing, graphic design and video editing.
Officials said trainees will receive transportation allowances, meals and all necessary learning materials. Certificates will be awarded upon successful completion, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Department of Youth Development and relevant agencies will regularly monitor the programme to ensure quality.
//DBTech/MS/MI//
